Marketing tool

ABSTRACT

A gaming device configured to operate in a marketing mode or a standard gaming mode dependent upon the determination of whether the user is a preselected user or not.

This application is a Continuation Application of PCT/NZ2012/000144, filed 14 Aug. 2012, which claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 61/524,528, filed 17 Aug. 2011 and which applications are incorporated herein by reference. To the extent appropriate, a claim of priority is made to each of the above disclosed applications.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a marketing tool. In particular, the present invention relates to a marketing tool operating as a gaming device or marketing device that operates in various modes dependent on the user.

BACKGROUND

There are many methods and systems that exist that attempt to incentivise a person to use a gaming machine. The majority of these methods and systems merely encourage or tempt a user to access the gaming machine by providing a credit or reward if the user complies with the conditions of use of the credit or reward.

For example, a $25 voucher may be provided to a potential user which is then redeemed upon the user spending a specified amount on a gaming machine.

As another example, free play points may be provided to a potential user upon the user accessing a gaming machine. Subsequently, once the free play points are used up, the operators of the gaming machines hope that the users of the machines then start gambling with their own money.

Further, free credits or reward points are also offered while a user is gambling on a gaming machine when a particular result arises from playing the machine. This is done in an attempt to keep a player playing the machine by providing an increase in the perceived winnings.

However, these methods and systems do not provide sufficient encouragement for a user to continue playing on the gaming machine once any free credit or free play points have been used.

When gambling on a gaming machine, it is beneficial to the machine operators for users of the machine to win either the first time that they use that machine or at least early on in the process. This is because this provides the user with a certain level of satisfaction which they then want to repeat.

However, it is not legally permitted to provide a fixed outcome on gaming machines.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved experience for selected users of a marketing tool or to at least providing the public with a useful choice.

The present invention aims to overcome, or at least alleviate, some or all of the afore-mentioned problems.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the preferred embodiment of the invention without placing limitations thereon.

The background discussion (including any potential prior art) is not to be taken as an admission of the common general knowledge.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is acknowledged that the terms “comprise”, “comprises” and “comprising” may, under varying jurisdictions, be attributed with either an exclusive or an inclusive meaning. For the purpose of this specification, and unless otherwise noted, these terms are intended to have an inclusive meaning - i.e. they will be taken to mean an inclusion of the listed components that the use directly references, but optionally also the inclusion of other non-specified components or elements.

According to one aspect, the present invention provides a gaming device configured to operate in a marketing mode or a standard gaming mode dependent upon the determination of whether the user is a preselected user or not.

According to a further aspect, the present invention provides a marketing device having first and second marketing modes of operation, the marketing device configured to operate in the first marketing mode upon detection that a user of the marketing device is a preselected user, and in the second marketing mode upon detection that a user of the marketing device is not a preselected user, wherein the marketing device is further configured to operate in a win mode upon detecting the user has won, and operate in a lose mode upon detecting the user has lost, such that when the marketing device is configured to operate in the lose mode and the first marketing mode simultaneously, the marketing device further configured to make a predetermined payout to the preselected user in a manner that indicates to the user that the marketing device is operating in the win mode without making any indication to the preselected user that they have been preselected.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a conceptual system diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 2 shows a system diagram of a gaming environment according to an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to a gaming or marketing system adapted or arranged to perform various methods.

In summary, the system includes at least a processor, one or more memory devices or an interface for connection to one or more memory devices, input and output interfaces for connection to external devices in order to enable the system to receive and operate upon instructions from one or more users or external systems, a data bus for internal and external communications between the various components, and a suitable power supply. Further, the system may include one or more communication devices (wired or wireless) for communicating with external and internal devices, and one or more input/output devices, such as a display, pointing device, keyboard, operating buttons or printing device.

The processor is arranged to perform the steps of a program stored as program instructions within the memory device. The program instructions enable the various methods of performing the invention as described herein to be performed. The program instructions may be developed or implemented using any suitable software programming language and toolkit, such as, for example, a C-based language. Further, the program instructions may be stored in any suitable manner such that they can be transferred to the memory device or read by the processor, such as, for example, being stored on a computer readable medium. The computer readable medium may be any suitable medium, such as, for example, solid state memory, magnetic tape, a compact disc (CD-ROM or CD-R/W), memory card, flash memory, optical disc, magnetic disc or any other suitable computer readable medium.

It will be understood that the system herein described includes one or more elements that are arranged to perform the various functions and methods. The following portion of the description is aimed at providing the reader with an example of a conceptual view of how various modules and/or engines that make up the elements of the system may be interconnected to enable the functions to be implemented. Further, the following portion of the description explains in system related detail how the steps of the herein described method may be performed. The conceptual diagrams are provided to indicate to the reader how the various data elements are processed at different stages by the various different modules and/or engines.

It will be understood that the arrangement and construction of the modules or engines may be adapted accordingly depending on system and user requirements so that various functions may be performed by different modules or engines to those described herein, and that certain modules or engines may be combined into single modules or engines.

It will be understood that the modules and/or engines described may be implemented and provided with instructions using any suitable form of technology. For example, the modules or engines may be implemented or created using any suitable software code written in any suitable language, where the code is then compiled to produce an executable program that may be run on any suitable computing system. Alternatively, or in conjunction with the executable program, the modules or engines may be implemented using any suitable mixture of hardware, firmware and software. For example, portions of the modules may be implemented using an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a system-on-a-chip (SoC), field programmable gate arrays (FPGA) or any other suitable adaptable or programmable processing device.

The methods described herein may be implemented using a general purpose computing system specifically programmed to perform the described steps. Alternatively, the methods described herein may be implemented using a specific gaming system or gaming device.

First Embodiment

The herein described description describes a marketing tool that operates as a gaming device, marketing device, or marketing gaming device (collectively known as a “gaming device” herein) and delivers a marketing event in a probabilistic form.

The result output from the gaming device is in some cases predetermined and in other cases the result is not predetermined dependent upon whether the user of the gaming device is part of a predefined group, or in other words dependent upon whether the user of the gaming device is a predefined user. Therefore, the odds of any one user of the gaming device winning are different.

The gaming device uses a random number generator to determine when a first group of people can win during a gambling sequence. In this case, the result output is not predetermined.

Further, the system utilises a stored set of identifiers that identify users who have been selected to win regardless of the number generated by the random number generator.

In other words, the random number generator disguises the fact that there are one group of users who can win a prize regardless of the odds of winning the prize, and another group of users who must rely on the random number generator to win a prize. However, all groups of users think they are playing a random game, whereas for the predefined users there is nothing random in them winning a prize. Therefore, the probability of a user winning a prize mainly varies depending on whether the user is part of a predefined group.

According to one embodiment, the gaming device is a slot machine.

Referring to FIG. 1, initially the user of the gaming device 101 inserts their loyalty card 103 into a card reader 105 in communication with the device 101. Upon inserting the loyalty card 103 into the card reader 105, the card reader 105 reads information associated with the user that is stored on the card 103 and sends this information to a controller 107.

The controller 107 sends the information to a communication module 109. The communication module 109 transmits this received information via a network 111 to a database 113. The database reads the received information to determine the user of the gaming device. Upon determination of the user, marketing information associated with that user is retrieved from the database 113.

The information retrieved from the database includes group indication data which identifies whether the user is included within a predetermined marketing group of users. That is, a number of users are identified and grouped together for the purposes of a defined marketing strategy. For example, particular users may be identified based on one or more of the following characteristics: amount of money spent over a defined period in a gaming environment; amount of earning potential; proximity to a gaming environment, etc;

It will be understood that the group indication data may identify one or more users as being included within a predetermined marketing group.

The group indication data is then returned via the network 111 to the communication module 109 back to the controller 107.

A mode selection module 115 analyses the group indication data to determine a marketing mode in which the gaming device is to operate. That is, the gaming device is arranged to operate in a number of different marketing modes depending on the group indication data returned from the database 113, as will be explained further below.

The following portion of the description applies to a “win mode” of the gaming device. The win mode is not a type of marketing mode but is a mode which the gaming device enters upon the device being operated to cause a win to occur. That is, the following portion of the description describes how the gaming device operates during a standard win procedure. This win procedure applies where the group indication data identifies the user as being included in a defined marketing group as well as when the group indication data identifies that the user is not included in a defined marketing group.

The gaming device displays the game on a display 116 where the game displayed is one that the user has indicated they want to play. For example, if the gaming device is able to play multiple games, the user indicates by selecting their choice of game. If the gaming device is only able to play a single game, this game is automatically initiated upon the user inserting their loyalty card and pressing the start button.

Data within the loyalty card as read by the card reader 105 also indicates the amount of credit that the user has for use on gaming devices. This credit amount is displayed alongside the game which the user is play. If the user has no more credit, they are able to obtain credit by inserting payment into the gaming device using any suitable payment mechanism. This credit is then applied to the loyalty card.

Upon the user initiating the start of the game play, the controller 107 initiates a random number generator 117 in order to automatically generate a random number. This generated random number is returned back to the controller 107. The controller 107 looks up the generated random number within a prize table 119 to determine whether the generated random number is associated with a particular prize. It will be understood that the prize table is stored on any suitable storage medium that can be accessed by the controller.

It will be understood that the user may initiate the start of the game play using any suitable user interface 121 as part of the gaming device. For example, the user interface may be a touch screen, button, lever, motion sensor, movement sensor or indeed any other suitable user interface or any combination thereof.

If the prize table indicates the generated random number is associated with a particular prize, that prize is awarded to the user in the usual manner in which prizes are awarded on gaming machines. For example, a win is indicated on the display of the gaming machine identifying the amount that the user has won. Further, the winning display associated with the random number is also shown. For example, a winning sequence of reels associated with that prize is shown.

A winning distribution module 121 is then instructed by the controller 107 to update the amount of credit on the loyalty card by initiating the card reader to update the information on the loyalty card. It will be understood that the card reader not only has the functionality of reading data on the loyalty card also has the functionality of writing, amending or deleting data stored on the loyalty card.

The following portion of the description describes when the gaming devices operating in a “lose mode”. When the gaming devices operating in the “lose mode”, this is when the controller 107 initiates the marketing modes.

In the case where the controller and mode selection module have detected that the user is not part of a predetermined marketing group, the gaming machine is configured to operate in a first marketing mode. In this first marketing mode, if the random number generator does not generate a random number that is associated with a prize, the user of the gaming device does not receive a prize. That is, the controller looks up the random number generated by the random number generator in the prize table, and determines that no prize is to be awarded based on the combination of no prize been allocated for the random number generated on the determination that the user is not associated with a predefined marketing group.

However, in the case where the controller and mode selection module have detected that the user is part of a predetermined marketing group, the gaming machine is configured to operate in a second marketing mode different to the first marketing mode, if the random number generator does not generate a random number that is associated with a prize, the controller of the gaming device operates a subroutine as follows.

The controller 107 determines from the marketing information previously received from the database 113 a predefined marketing dollar amount that is associated with the predefined marketing group. That is, the information retrieved from the database 113 indicates a marketing dollar amount associated with a particular group of users. This dollar amount has been indicated as being available for use by the users within the predefined marketing group.

The controller then determines from the prize table the winning display that is associated with this marketing dollar amount. That is, the controller determines which game win indicator the game would need to display in order to be associated with the predefined marketing dollar amount. That is, the game win indicator may be a defined sequence of reels in a reels type game, such as a slot machine. Alternatively, the game win indicator may be a sequence of cards in a video poker type game.

The controller then instructs the user interface 121 to display that game win indicator on the game display 116. As before, the winning distribution module 121 is then instructed by the controller 107 to update the amount of credit on the loyalty card by initiating the card reader to update the information on the loyalty card.

The information associated with a particular marketing group may define how many times the user is able to win a predefined amount. Alternatively, the information may define a total amount which the user is able to win over a predefined number of plays or within a predefined time period.

Therefore, when a user is selected by the gaming entity operating the gaming environment to be part of a predefined marketing group, they are awarded marketing dollars without being made aware that they are being issued with marketing dollars. Further, in the event that the selected user wins a prize on the game using standard gaming techniques, the same prize is awarded to the selected user as would be awarded to a user who has not been identified as being part of a predefined marketing group. Therefore, all users still have the same odds of winning the indicated prizes for the gaming device. However, preselected user is who are part of the predefined marketing group also win marketing dollars which they may then use to operate further gaming devices.

FIG. 2 shows an example of how the herein described system may be incorporated within a gaming environment. The gaming environment consists of a number of gaming machines 201 and electronic tables 203 (among other electronic gaming devices) that are adapted to communicate electronically with other systems using any suitable protocols, such as data packet protocols. The herein described system may be included with either of these two groups of devices.

The gaming environment further includes a number of electronic cashier devices 205 and ATMs 207 which are in communication via a Wide Area Network 209 with one or more financial databases 211.

Data from the gaming machines 201 and electronic tables 203 are transferred to and from a reward program database 213 and customer database 215. It will be understood that these two databases may be combined into a single database.

Data from the cashier devices are also transferred to the reward program database 213 and customer database 215. The databases 213 and 215 are in communication with a central hotel management system 217 that oversees the operation of the gaming environment, including the activities of customers in other areas of a casino, such as shops, hotels, spas etc.

The system 219 described herein is in communication with the reward program database 213, customer database 215 and central hotel management system 217 so the system can retrieve all necessary data about the activities within the gaming environment. The various embodiments as described herein are employed by the system 219 to provide an output 221.

It will be understood that the embodiments of the present invention described herein are by way of example only, and that various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of invention. 

1. A gaming device configured to operate in a marketing mode or a standard gaming mode dependent upon the determination of whether the user is a preselected user or not.
 2. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is configured to operate in the marketing mode regardless of an outcome of a gambling routine executed by the gaming device.
 3. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is configured to operate in the marketing mode upon detection that an outcome of a gambling routine executed by the gaming device resulted in a lose status.
 4. The gaming device of claim 2 wherein the marketing mode configures the gaming device to execute a marketing routine that makes a predetermined payout to the preselected user in a manner that indicates to the user that the marketing gaming device is operating in the standard gaming mode.
 5. The gaming device of claim 3 wherein the marketing mode configures the gaming device to execute a marketing routine that makes a predetermined payout to the preselected user in a manner that indicates to the user that the marketing gaming device is operating in the standard gaming mode.
 6. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is configured to operate in the standard gaming mode upon the determination that the user is not a preselected user.
 7. The gaming device of claim 1, wherein the gaming device is configured to operate in the standard gaming mode upon the determination that the user is a preselected user and that an outcome of a gambling routine executed by the gaming device resulted in a win status.
 8. A marketing device having first and second marketing modes of operation, the marketing device configured to operate in the first marketing mode upon detection that a user of the marketing device is a preselected user, and in the second marketing mode upon detection that a user of the marketing device is not a preselected user, wherein the marketing device is further configured to operate in a win mode upon detecting the user has won, and operate in a lose mode upon detecting the user has lost, such that when the marketing device is configured to operate in the lose mode and the first marketing mode simultaneously, the marketing device further configured to make a predetermined payout to the preselected user in a manner that indicates to the user that the marketing device is operating in the win mode without making any indication to the preselected user that they have been preselected.
 9. The marketing device of claim 8 wherein the predetermined payout is in the form of one or more of marketing currency, real currency, free play credits and bonus play credits.
 10. The marketing device of claim 8 comprising a control device and a card reading device, wherein the card reading device is configured to read identification data associated with the user, and the control device is configured to i) detect whether the identification data being read is associated with a preselected user and ii) configure the marketing device to operate in the first marketing mode upon detection that the identification data being read is associated with a preselected user.
 11. The marketing device of claim 8, wherein a user is determined to be a preselected user by determining whether the user is associated with a preselected group of users.
 12. The marketing device of claim 8 configured to look and operate like a standard gaming device. 